The investigation is ongoing into the weekend Peoria house fire that killed a father and his two children...aged 5 and 4. Peoria fire chief Kent Tomblin says the lives could have been saved had the lone smoke detector found in the house had a battery in it.
"When your in the products of a fire, the smoke, it immediately confuses you and immediately panic comes on," says Tomblin. "It doesn't take that long to be very confused and disoriented to where you are or what you're going to do and how you're going to do it."
"Fire prevention officers and all the firefighters teach every day get down low and get out as soon as you can in the quickest, safest way. It may mean a window, it may mean a door, but the whole point to to get out as soon as you can."
The fire at 616 East Gift Avenue Saturday morning claimed the lives of 34-year old Edward Gordon, his 5-year old son Eandre and his 4-year old daughter Emyrra.
